Eric Watts faces a pivotal third summer with the Jets

Waived in final 2025 cuts, then re-signed and later elevated, the defensive end now has to turn limited opportunities into a clearer rotational path.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Yahoo Sports’ Jets roster countdown has Eric Watts (No. 95) squarely on the roster-battle clock, framing 2026 as the year the New York defensive end must carve out a repeatable role rather than survive on depth and spot duty. Watts is listed with two years of experience and is entering his third NFL season, which means the margin for “almost” is shrinking.

The turning point for Watts’ trajectory came during the 2025 roster crunch. On Aug. 26, 2025, the Jets reduced their roster to the initial 53-player limit under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn and waived 19 players. Eric Watts was among those waived in the final-cuts transaction list, meaning he did not secure a spot on the opening active roster.

The Jets did not cut him loose entirely. A later team transaction release described the aftermath plainly: after being waived in August 2025, Watts was re-signed to the practice squad the next day. From there, he remained in the organization’s plans, waiting for the moment when game-week needs would open a door.

That opening arrived in November 2025, when the Jets elevated Watts for Week 13. In the team’s Dec. 10, 2025 announcement that promoted him back to the active roster, New York said Watts played 16 defensive snaps and 11 special-teams snaps in the Week 13 elevation, and he recorded three tackles in a win over Atlanta. Statistically, the Jets’ own player page shows he appeared in four games in 2025, including one start, finishing with 10 total tackles.

Watts’ 2025 pattern mattered because it followed a different kind of start to his Jets career. After going undrafted in 2024 and earning a roster spot, the Jets listed him as a contributor right away, with 14 appearances and 13 total tackles in 2024. In other words, the Jets have already seen flashes from Watts. The question now is whether he can convert a developmental timeline into steadier involvement on defense, not just occasional elevations.

Part of the pressure on a player like Watts is structural, not personal. When the Jets set their initial 53-man roster in 2025, the organization emphasized youth and low veteran tenure, with a large share of the roster having four or fewer years of NFL experience. That approach can create opportunity, but it also increases competition. In 2026, Watts’ third season will determine whether the Jets view him as a continuing rotational option at defensive end or as another piece that needs more time to separate.

What to watch next is straightforward, and it is all about consistency. During 2026 OTAs and training camp, does Watts secure a position in the defensive-line rotation early, or does he again depend on circumstances to earn reps in-season? For a player entering year three with just a limited 2025 game sample, the Jets will be looking for signs that his role is sustainable, whether through staying active beyond spot promotions or by proving he belongs when the depth chart gets pressure-tested.

Why It Matters

For the Jets, a third-year edge player who can only be elevated occasionally forces tougher decisions on depth, snaps, and long-term investment.
The defensive end rotation affects both pass rush and how the Jets manage special-teams roles, where limited defenders can still impact games.
Watts’ 2025 waiver-and-elevation path is the kind of churn that can either lead to a stable role or end in repeated “almost” summers.
The Jets’ emphasis on younger rosters increases competition, so Watts’ training camp performance in 2026 likely determines whether he becomes a regular contributor or continues to bounce between the practice squad and active roster.

Sources

Key Facts

Eric Watts is the Jets’ defensive end, No. 95, listed at 6-5 and 277 pounds and in his second year of experience entering a third season.
On Aug. 26, 2025, the Jets waived Eric Watts during final roster cuts, leaving him off the initial 53-man active roster.
After being waived in August 2025, Watts was re-signed to the Jets practice squad the next day.
Watts was elevated for Week 13 in 2025, playing 16 defensive snaps and 11 special-teams snaps, and recording three tackles in a win over Atlanta.
In 2025, Watts appeared in four games (one start) and recorded 10 total tackles.
In 2024, Watts appeared in 14 games for New York and totaled 13 tackles.